John Christian Bock, 1501 Madison Avenue, veteran tailor who celebrated his ninety seventh birthday August 16, 1940, died at 10:20 a.m. Thursday at his home. He had been keen of mind and still interested in the daily news through his 97 years, 77 of which were spent in Council Bluffs.

Mr. Bock came to Chicago in 1862 from Germany, where he was born in 1843. He hiked by foot to Minnesota, where he engaged in his father's trade of tailoring, settling in the village of Sleepy Eye. In 1862 he married Caroline Krueger, who was one of the few survivors of the Sioux Indian massacre in Browne County, NE. Later he engaged in fruit farming.

Mr. Bock is survived by four sons, William E. of Omaha, Oscar L., Henry G. and Arthur C. all of Council Bluffs; 14 grandchildren and 32 great grandchildren.